An embodiment of a heating system includes a cavity configured to contain a load, a thermal heating system (e.g., a convection, radiant, and/or gas heating system) in fluid communication with the cavity and configured to heat air, and an RF heating system. The RF heating system includes an RF signal source configured to generate an RF signal, first and second electrodes positioned across the cavity and capacitively coupled, a transmission path electrically coupled between the RF signal source and one or more of the first and second electrodes, and a variable impedance matching network electrically coupled along the transmission path between the RF signal source and the one or more electrodes. At least one of the first and second electrodes receives the RF signal and converts the RF signal into electromagnetic energy that is radiated into the cavity.

A cooking apparatus for cooking ingredients packaged together in a package is provided. The cooking apparatus includes a cooking device and a barcode reader. The cooking device includes a housing defining a cooking room for accommodating the ingredients therein, a cooking unit for heating contents in the cooking room, and a control module electrically connected to the cooking unit for controlling operation of the cooking unit. The barcode reader is electrically connected to the control module, and scans a barcode on the package representing data related to information about the ingredients, decodes the barcode so as to obtain the data, and transmits the data to the control module that controls operation of the cooking unit based on the information.

A method of operating a microwave appliance includes determining that a vent fan is on, and instructing an air handler within a door of the microwave appliance to operate in response to determining that the vent fan is on.

In certain examples, a food processing machine for processing a food product includes a housing defining a cavity, a conveyor with a belt comprising metal for conveying the food product through the cavity in a longitudinal direction, and a convection heating system for heating air in the cavity such that heated air heats the food product as the food product is conveyed through the cavity. A microwave launch box system is configured to emit microwave energy into the cavity in a lateral direction transverse to the longitudinal direction to thereby further heat the food product as the food product is conveyed through the cavity.

An oven includes a plurality of walls, a fan, and a heating element. The plurality of walls defines an internal cavity in which food may be placed for cooking. A first of the plurality of walls defines a plurality of orifices that establishes fluid communication between the internal cavity and a fluid path. The fan is configured to direct air from the fluid path, through the plurality of orifices, and into the internal cavity. The heating element is disposed on the first of the plurality of walls and adjacent to the plurality of orifices. The heating element is configured to heat the air being directed from the fluid path, through the plurality of orifices, and into the internal cavity.

A multi-tier rack assembly for use in an oven including a cooking chamber, a convective heating system configured to provide heated air into the cooking chamber, and a radio frequency (RF) heating system configured to provide RF energy into the cooking chamber may include a bottom tier rack and a top tier rack. The bottom tier rack may be removable/insertable relative to the cooking chamber to be supported at a bottom wall of the cooking chamber. The bottom tier rack may include a first frame including a plurality of first frame members that surround a first grate structure. The top tier rack may be removable/insertable to be supported by the bottom tier rack. The top tier rack may include a second frame including a plurality of second frame members that surround a second grate structure. Each of the bottom tier rack and the top tier rack may define a lateral gap proximate to sidewalls of the cooking chamber and a rear gap proximate to a back wall of the cooking chamber to permit, along with the first and second grate structures, airflow vertically through, along sides, and along a back of the bottom and top tier racks, respectively.

An oven may include a cooking chamber configured to receive a first food product, a convective heating system configured to provide heated air into the cooking chamber, a radio frequency (RF) heating system configured to provide RF energy into the cooking chamber, and processing circuitry configured to execute a recipe defining cooking parameters for cooking the first food product. The cooking parameters may define operational settings for the convective heating system and the RF heating system and a nominal cooking time for a first batch including the first food product. The processing circuitry may be operably coupled to a mass adjustment module configured to determine, based on an indication of an addition of a second batch comprising a second food product to the cooking chamber, an overlap period during which the first and second food products are simultaneously cooked and a completion time for cooking the second food product after the overlap period.

A method for processing articles using a microwave heating system includes obtaining an operating profile for heating a type of article using the microwave heating system. The operating profile includes a temperature-time profile for a target F.sub.0 value and a group of set point values for achieving the temperature-time profile, the group of set point values including a target for a control parameter of the microwave heating system. Using a control system operatively coupled to the microwave heating system, the microwave heating system is operated in accordance with the group of set point values such that each of the articles achieves an F.sub.0 value that is greater than or equal to the target F.sub.0 value.

The present invention relates to a pressure vessel (1) for receiving samples (P) to be heated, having a reaction chamber (2) as a pressure space for the initiation and/or facilitation of chemical and/or physical pressure reactions, the reaction chamber (2) being designed for receiving a liquid (5), a magnetic disk (8) mounted rotatably about an axis of rotation in the reaction chamber (2), and a magnet arrangement (10), provided outside the reaction chamber (2), for generating a rotating magnetic field for rotationally driving the magnetic disk (8) about its axis of rotation, the magnetic disk (8) having at least one passage bore (13), which extends transversely in relation to the axis of rotation and is provided in such a way that liquid (5) received in the reaction chamber (2) is driven through the passage opening (13) by rotation of the magnetic disk (8) in order to stir the liquid (5).

A drawer type heating cooking apparatus (100) includes a heating chamber (1), a drawer body (2), and an air sending unit (13). The heating chamber (1) includes a heating cooking chamber (100A). The air sending unit (13) supplies hot air into the heating cooking chamber (100A). The heating chamber (1) includes a heating chamber (13A), and a partition plate (13B) configured to divide the heating cooking chamber (100A) and the heating chamber (13A) configured to house a heater (131) and a centrifugal fan (132). The partition plate (13B) includes a blow-out hole section (13C) through which hot air blows into the heating cooking chamber (100A), and a suction hole section (13D). The drawer body (2) includes a placement portion (22), in which an object to be heated is able be placed, and a support portion (23) configured to support the placement portion (22). The blow-out hole section (13C) is located at a position higher than the height of the support portion (23) in a state in which the drawer body (2) is drawn into the heating cooking chamber (100A).